


Catching Breath

by Katstories



Category: TMNT 2016
Genre: Autoerotic Asphyxiation, Horror, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Other, Psychological Horror, Rape/Non-con Elements, Sexual Assault, voyerism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-14
Updated: 2018-09-14
Packaged: 2019-07-12 08:26:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15991418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katstories/pseuds/Katstories
Summary: Set in 2016 VerseKraang attacks New York City with the Technodrome, much of the cities buildings are damaged.April finds herself in need of a place to live until the repairs on her apartment are complete.Sometimes the cheapest rent isn't the safest rent and nasty things don't stay in closets.





	Catching Breath

**Author's Note:**

> This story was created for the 2017 Darkest Nights Fanbook.  
> Involves mentions of suicide, rape, sexual assault, autoerotic asphyxiation and destruction of private property.

“April, are you sure this is the right place?” 

Mikey side eyed his friend as they looked over the one story; dirty white concrete building that was to be her home for the next several months. 

“Yea Ape, this place looks pretty creepy.” Raph walked up behind them, toting a box on each shoulder. “But if this is the place can you open the door, because these are getting kinda heavy.”

April obliged, inserted the key and opened the antiquated door. It creaked, as it swung open. April entered and fished around for the light switch. The single light bulb switched on and illuminated a dust-covered floor. A dusty drape cloth covered couch and a just as dust coated desk squatted in the tiny living room. A darkened entryway beckoned to the rooms beyond. 

“Wow Ape, nice décor, furnished in early haunted house.” Mikey quipped as he looked over April’s shoulder. “Is this a good idea? Are you sure it’s the right house?”

April patted Mikey on the hand. “Yes Mikey, this is the place. Raph just put the boxes on the floor for now. We’re going to have to clean up before I unpack.” Raph brushed past Mikey and April and gently maneuvered the boxed down to the floor displacing dust. Raph frowned and sneezed for a few seconds trying to get the dust bunnies out of his beak.

Donnie came in toting another set of boxes. “April did you know that there is an abandoned graveyard not more than fifty feet to the left side of your house? I saw it when I came in.” 

Mikey, April and Raph gaped at Donnie. “What now?” Raph’s look soured even further than it had been moments ago.

April shook her head. “Oh my god! No Donnie, I didn’t know. This was an emergency move in, I found it cheep and close by. The idea of there being a graveyard next door is pretty creepy but I’m only going to be here for a few months while they renovate damage caused to the apartments from the invasion.” 

“Apes, why didn’t you just stay with us? You know we got the room.” Raph inquired while he rubbed the dust out of his snout.

“Well I thought about asking but I didn’t want to put you guys out.” She smiled and hugged Raph’s bicep. “But you guys also keep strange hours and I didn’t want to interrupt your schedules.”

“You mean you didn’t want us interrupting your schedule don’t you? Along with the odor that could permeate your clothes,” Donnie smirked at her. April shrugged and was noncommittal about it.

“It’s OK April, we would have changed our patrols with Lieutenant Vincent to help you. We could have kept quiet.” Donnie looked around at the cinder block house. 

Mikey wiggled in-between Raph and April and hugged her. “Yea, why don’t you just forget staying in the haunted house and come back with us? You’ll be safer with us.”

“Sorry guys, I’ve already put down the deposit and the first two months rent. It won’t be for long, I’ll be fine.”

Leo walked in carrying the last of April’s boxes. “April, I scouted the perimeter. It looks secure enough; you have a good distance before the next houses. There is also a graveyard next door, did you know that?” 

“I do now Leo. I admit I’m not happy about that, because it certainly wasn’t on the rental positing but I don’t have anywhere else to go.” April cautiously walked towards the darkness beyond the archway, only to have Mikey speedily jump in front of her and carefully fish his arm around looking for the light switch.

“Uh Apes, there isn’t a switch.” He quickly pulled his arm back and hovered next to her in a state of unease. 

“Let me by short stuff.” Raph walked cautiously in swinging his arm in the air. He briefly collided with something and a little “oof” was heard. A moment later a clinking sound rang out and the room flooded with light. A tiny kitchen along with an even tinier kitchen table greeted them, along with Raph rubbing his knee. 

“Oh good, I was wondering where the kitchen is. Leo those boxes go there.” April pointed toward the small counter. She glanced about as she walked in. “Oh my god! Donnie look at this teeny stove! And the refrigerator!”

Raph moved away to allow Donnie entrance to the kitchen. Three turtles and a lone human were enough to make the kitchen claustrophobic, if Mikey had come in, it would be positively packed. Donnie looked over the stove, a mere twenty inches across with two gas ranges and the littlest roasting oven. The refrigerator was a mere thirty inches across and could have been identified more as an icebox than an actual fridge. 

“Holy crap that’s archaic and tiny.” Donnie mused. “I’m gonna have to find the gas pipes and make sure this is all safe. Excuse me guys, April, I need you to get out of the kitchen for a while.”

“Yea no cookin’ a Thanksgiving turkey in this oven. Shell, you could barely fit a chicken.” Raph observed. 

“Come on boys, help me get settled.”

They passed through a small dark hallway. Raph took the honors of searching for the light switch. The single dingy naked bulb clicked on shining dim light in the small hall. Revealing three shut doors along the walls and a closed attic entrance above. Mikey hid behind Raphael, and made small “eeps” as his creepiness levels continued to rise. Raphael chose the door to the right and found a small white tiled bathroom. A clear curtain hung from the shower ring above a clawed tub, a small antique mirror and sink along with an antiquated toilet shone bright white in the light above it all.

“Perfect room for late night slashers. All the tiling makes for easy clean up. Look how bright it is, I bet ya the last person to die here got to bleach the floors.” Mikey said as he huddled behind Raph. “Angel cakes are you sure you don’t want to bunk with us?” 

Leo palmed his face and sighed heavily. “Mikey stop. You’re getting carried away with all those horror movies you like to watch. There is nothing wrong with the house. Besides how would the dead guy bleach the floor?”

“Duh, his ghost Leo! Get with the program.” Mikey curled protectively around April. “Of course there is something wrong with the house. It’s creepy, dusty, dirty and creepy. Did I mention creepy? The place has furniture from the nineteen thirties and it’s got to be haunted! Come on there’s a graveyard next door!” Mikey insisted. Raph rolled his eyes and Leo sighed and shook his head. 

“Mike, it ain’t haunted.” Raph nudged past Mikey and opened up the second door, which lead to a small laundry room.

“See, nothing but laundry goes here.” Raph waved at the room. “See, just a washer and a dryer, no big deal.”

“It could be a haunted washer and dryer. The last remnants of the victims clothes thrown in the washer to clean up the blood and get rid of evidence!” As Mikey’s anxieties grew he became more animated, his hands clutching at Aprils jacket. “Come on you can stay with us, trust me we’ll change our habits just for you.”

“Mikey for shells sake, there isn’t anything here! Will you stop spazing.” Raph pushed open the final door and flicked on the light switch, revealing a small bedroom sparsely furnished. The mattress was covered in plastic and a small lamp illuminated the dresser and connected mirror, a closet door remained shut in the corner. “See nothing…”

“They wrapped the bed in plastic! They had to get rid of the old one because someone died on it!” Mikey entered the room in a flurry of arms and panicked voice. “I’m telling you this place is haunted, I just know it!”   
Leo tried shushing Mikey, trying to get him to calm down but Mikey pulled away. 

“Mikey it’s because the bed is new and just delivered.” April explained.

Mikey, calm down, your just letting your imagination get away with you.” But Mikey wasn’t having any of that.

“No. Look the house is creepy and I swear it’s haunted! Look around, can’t you feel it?” He marched over to the closet. “We’re next to a graveyard. The place is full of dust, so if it’s supposed to be a rental why aren’t they taking care of it? Not only that but there is a dead guy hanging in the closet!” And with that Mikey threw open the door; it slammed into the wall with a resounding thud.

For a moment, he imagined he could see a reversed image of a naked man. Neck canted at an odd angle, tongue and eyes protruding face contorted in rictus, feet dangling a good foot off the floor. Then he was gone as if he never existed.

“What was that?” Mikey whispered.

“Nothing, there is nothing there Mikey.” Leo stepped past him and into the closet, pounding his fist on the walls and ceiling. “Nothing here and it’s all solid.” He looked out at Mikey and frowned, “That’s enough now Mikey, you got all us worked up over your silly imagination. You need to stop and apologize.”

Mikey looked back at the closet and then at their faces. April pale but humoring. Raph confusion and flush in annoyance and Leo radiating exasperation. “But, but, you saw didn’t you? Or was it just my imagination?” Mikey looked sheepish and he rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. “April I’m sorry, I guess I let my imagination get away from me.” He glanced back at the closet. “I’m so sorry Angel cakes.”

April laughed nervously and glanced over at the closet. “Yea I guess you got a little carried away.” She gently punched him in the arm. “You need to stay away from horror movies for the next year and I’m cutting you off for Halloween.” She laughed again, this time with humor. “Ok, get the boxes, I need to get my clothes hung up but first lets go check on Donnie to make sure my kitchen is working.”

They piled out of the bedroom and made their way to the kitchen, the turtles hanging around the archway. 

“Hey Apes, you think there’s a vacuum or a dust mop around here? At least we can clean for you.” Raph looked at Donnie’s backside hidden behind the pulled out stove. “Hey Brainiac, you plumbing for oil back there?”  
Donnie’s muffled voice came with a cough. “Ugh, dust. No, there was a clog in the line, I’ve cleaned the pipe.” His head popped up as he continued. “So once I get this connected back to the stove we’ll be ready for some good ole fashioned cooking. Did you know this stove is from the 1930s? The refrigerator isn’t too far off, from the 1940s; they’ve seen a lot of use but there clean. I checked. Are you guys done exploring the house?”

“Yes, we need better lighting in here. Let’s start with the simple and get extra lamps. I’d like a security system with motion sensors outside. Is that something you can handle tonight Donnie?” Leo stated. He felt the lack of lighting didn’t help the atmosphere of the house, or the need for security. 

“Yea I brought my kit bag, I can easily get something sorted out tonight with your help.” Donnie stood up and proceeded to push the stove back into place, he dusted off his hands and the dug around in his kit bag on the kitchen table. “Ah ha, there you are.” He pulled out a lighter, turned on the burner on the stove and lit the gas. It went up with a small ‘wumph’ and burned a cheery blue. Donnie let the gas burn for a moment and then shut it off. “Done. Think there is anything else I might have to fix?”

“She’s got a tiny bathroom and a washer and dryer, you might want to check the pipes.” Raphael supplied and he pointed to the sink for emphasis. “Oh and she’s got an attic, but the door is tiny too. Can you check and see if there is anything up there, you might be the only one to fit through. Well other than April.”

Donnie nodded, making a mental checklist as he went under the sink and turned on the water. “April,” his muffled voice echoed from under the sink. “Turn on the water and let it run.”  
April did as she was told, the water rushed out a rusty brown color. She wrinkled her nose, “Donnie it’s brown.”

“It means the line hasn’t been flushed in a while. Leave the tap running. Hey Mikey, go turn on the water in the bathroom.” Donnie suggested popping his head out from under the sink.

“Me?” Mikey pointed to himself and chuckled nervously. “Seriously? Me?”

Donnie rolled his eyes and pointed at Mikey. “Yea you, what are their spiders in the bathroom? That’s Raph’s thing.”

“Hey, spiders are gross and you know it.” Raph crossed his arms and huffed aloud.

“Yea, yea. Get going Mikey, we’re here to help April not hinder.” Donnie made shooing movements with his hands and Mikey inched away to deal with the bathroom as requested.

In that small room Mikey cranked on the hot and cold water waiting for the brown water to turn clear. He turned on the tub for good measure. He then stepped into the laundry room checking the electrical plugs and then turning on the water to a short cycle. He returned to the bathroom to see the water running clear and turned off all the faucets. He found not a single creepy thing to greet him during his brief walk-through and wondered if he was merely hallucinating his fears from a moment ago. “Must be too many horror movies.” 

Mikey walked back to the kitchen and stopped beside his brothers. “All done, I’m running the washer machine to get flush it out too.” He looked over at April who was quietly watching the water stream steadily out of the faucet. He cleared his throat, “Um, April, I’m sorry for being such a freak just now. I guess it really was too much TV.” 

She walked over and hugged him. “It’s fine Mikey I know how our imagination can run away with us.”

Donnie maneuvered himself out from under the sink wiping his hands on his trousers. “Well that’s done. Raph if you give me a hand I need to set up the security measures outside.” Raph shrugged and walked towards the door. Donnie followed grabbing his duffle bag. “I’ve got some parts we can get out of the truck we can use. Just hold the ladder and the flashlight OK?”

“Yea Brainiac, after you.” Raph held open the door and the pair of them vanished into the night. 

****

April bolted upright, coughing and running her hands over her chest, squirming where she lay. She awoke from a nightmare where she had felt something touch her across her breasts and her breathing had been stifled in her throat. She turned on the lamp in the room and flapped at the bed sheets trying to knock loose any bugs that might have been crawling over her. She stepped out of bed and flapped her nightshirt just to make sure. Nothing fell out. April looked over to the clock on the nightstand, three fifteen in the morning. She sighed deeply and scrubbed her palm into her eyes. The room was uncomfortably cold and she grabbed up her bathrobe from the chair before exiting the room. She trudged to the bathroom and flicked on the lights. Dark circles shadowed her eyes and she looked unkempt and she looked at herself in disgust. Running the cold tap she splashed water on her face and then plodded into the kitchen. 

This was an ongoing random thing; some days she’d wake up from out of some dream where she felt light touches across her body. Frankly it unnerved her since she didn’t remember what the dreams were always about, though she got the feeling they were steadily working towards the erotic. She thought they might be dreams of her and Casey but the constant interruptions were affecting her work and her health and she hated it. April started a pot of coffee knowing that she wasn’t going to be able to get back to sleep. Just like the night before.

****

“April, you look tired, thank goodness you’re not in front of the camera this week.” Her cameraman George said. 

She frowned at him and sipped her Starbucks. “Not sleeping well at the rental, I think its because the bedrooms always cold, I’m not used to it.”

“Pick up a space heater, we’ve got one in our room, it helps a lot. Melatonin also works well for sleeplessness, my wife uses it every night.” George hauled up the camera, “I’ve got to go, all this post invasion coverage is getting on my nerves.”

April watched him go and laid her head on her desk groaning softly. It had been weeks and her sleep patterns had been thoroughly disrupted. Waking up at early hours with the chills and the strange breathless sensations were taking a toll on her. She’d check the computer and watch the security cameras but she’d never catch anything other than a stray cat or an occasional raccoon. Nothing but a closet door that wouldn’t stay shut and her nightly writhing in the sheets and her eventual waking up, gasping. She sprayed the house for spiders and roaches, just in case there were really bugs scurrying over her. Her morose train of thought was broken by the distinct ringing tone of her phone. Groggily she picked up, her forehead still pressed into the desk.

“Hello Donnie, what’s up?” She stifled a yawn, “anything I can help you with?”

“Good morning April, I was just calling to check up on you, we hadn’t heard from you in a month. Mikey was wondering how the haunted house was working out.” He chuckled weakly. “Anyway, how are things?”

April sighed heavily sitting up. “Lousy. I’m not getting any sleep at the house; I’m always up before dawn. The house is always cold. I hate it.” She ran her fingers through her hair, “but I have at least another two months there. Can you come by and maybe set up some heaters to take away the cold?”

Donnie tisked at the other end, “since the weather turned colder I’m not surprised that the concrete block isn’t acting well as an insulator. I’ll be happy to come in and set something up for you. Do you want me to come over tonight?”

“Yea Donnie that would be great, I’ll see you around 10?” April queried.

”Yea, sure, I’ll bring the Chinese.” With that Donnie hung up.

****

Donnie and his brothers strolled in at exactly 10pm. Leo held the door while Donnie brought in a few boxes of electronics, Raph carried in space heaters, Mikey was the last to enter coming in with arms laden with plastic bags full of food. 

“Boys. Thanks for coming over I can use the company. Casey’s been busy with overtime and working with SI, so he hasn’t been able to come over.” April hugged each of them. 

“Anything for you angel cakes.” Mikey hustled into the kitchen and began pulling food from the various bags setting them down on the table. “I’ve got Chow me fun and Peking duck for Donnie. Kung Pao chicken for you along with Mapo doufu and Xianologbao because I know you like to share that with me. Raph had to have his Zongzi and Char siu. Leo’s got his gross Century eggs and Wenchang chicken.” He smiled and handed out chopsticks and containers, a few soda cans followed afterwards. Dinner was split between the tiny kitchen and the adjoining living room, with Raph, Leo and Mikey barely able to fit on the couches and lounge chair.

“So, what’s been happening April?” Donnie asked around a piece of duck. 

”Work is fine, I’m doing an op piece on Lieutenant Vincent’s new Special Investigations unit. She say’s hi by the way. I’ll be seeing her again next week.” April sipped her soda and wagged a chopstick full of noodles at Raphael. “Vincent says that we need to get you back into the gym with the officers and have you beat the tar out of them again. This way they can be ready for running into BeBop or Rocksteady.”  
Raph nodded and gulped down a piece of pork. “I’ll call her tomorrow and see about setting up the midnight sessions again for whomever wants to. Leo you up for some classes again?” Leo nodded and they clinked their sodas together. 

“Mikey we should have you come too since you’re the most unpredictable, might help to keep them on their toes.” Leo suggested turning to look at the turtle, only to see Mikey staring at April. “Mikey?”

Mikey had been watching April while they were eating. “April, why do you look so tired?” Mikey’s question made April pause between bites.

“I’m not sleeping well Mikey.” April sighed. “As I told Donnie the house is too cold and I’m having a lot of interrupted sleep.”

“The cold can’t be the only thing interrupting your sleep, what else is happening?” Mikey asked quietly, food forgotten. 

April thought for a moment. “I sometimes feel like there might be a bug crawling across me and it wakes me up. Or I wake in a fit of coughing like I couldn’t breathe.”  
“Bugs?” Raph asked, “in your bed?”

Donnie looked over at April, “why didn’t you say so, I’ve got some industrial killer stuff we use in the lair that could take care of the problem in no time. It’s not bed bugs is it?”

“No it feels more like a centipede crawls over me or something like that.” 

Raph shivered and looked around, trying to spot any creepy crawlies. “That’s pretty gross. We’ll come back over tomorrow and bring the bug spray.”

“Well let me finish dinner and then I’ll set up the heaters these few rooms, that should help keep you warm.” Donnie offered and then dug back into his Peking duck.

****

Leo’s shell cell rang out as he spun out of his kata and landing another strike against the dummy with his swords. He paused for a moment, putting away the blades and searched for the phone. He grabbed a towel at the same time and began rubbing himself down while he flicked open the cell. “Leonardo. How can I help you?”

At first all he heard was panicked breathing on the phone and then a shaky voice cut through. “Leo, I need your help, someone broke into the house.”

“April?” Leo pulled the phone away from his face for a moment and whistled high and loud calling his brothers to him. Heads popped out of various rooms, Donnie, Raph and Mikey rushed out and closed in on his position.  
Leo put the phone back to his ear, “April, are you someplace safe?” 

“I’m in my car at the 7-11 down the road. I got out as soon as I saw someone had come in.” April supplied. “I’m safe for now.”

“Well be there as soon as we can.” With that the four of them rush to the truck with Donnie stopping on the way for a few essential items.

****

April’s nursing a coffee sitting in her car, under the bright lights of the 7-11 sign, she parked far enough away so when the boys Shellrazor pulls up in the darkness they have plenty of cover. Leonardo gets out and very carefully slides himself into the passenger seat of her car.

“Are you ok?” He asks gently as he puts a hand on hers. 

She squeezes his big fingers and he notices how much she shivers, even with the car heater going on full blast. 

“Now that you’re here I will be.” April leans across and awkwardly hugs Leo. 

Donnie leans down and looks at her through the open door. “So what happened? I checked the feed while we were on our way, I didn’t see anyone actually breaking into the house. I went back a few days too, nothing but you coming and going. Though I noticed your closet door seems to open a lot at night, I’ll see about checking the hinges.”

“The door was locked and I deactivated the security code but when I went to start laundry I noticed a footprint near the ceiling where the attic entrance is. I dropped everything and ran for the door.” She explained. Donnie patted her hand in comfort. 

“Come on team, lets go look.” Leo got out of the car and made his way back to the Shellrazor. “Donnie you drive.”

They arrived fifteen minutes later, cautiously pulling up to the side of the house. April opted to stay in her car and Mikey stood guard near the drivers’ side. Leo and Raph pulled weapons while Donnie unlocked the door and ran the security code when he entered. Leo crept in and quickly signaled for Raph to take the bedroom. Donnie quickly took the kitchen and went out the back door looking into the small yard, quickly moving into the tree line. Leo moved through the rest of the house checking the remaining rooms, noting Aprils spilled laundry. Raph met him at the center hallway and they both looked up.   
Nothing stained the white wall right under the attic door. The walls were a little cobwebby but clean of any smudged footprint. Leo looked at Raph and they conversed silently. They turned and waited for Donnie to return. Donnie came in a few moments later, silently shutting the back door and closed on their position. Leo nodded at Donnie, who cautiously used his bo to open the attic door. A moment later he cautiously raised himself up and peered into the darkness of the attic. Leo supplied the flashlight and Donnie used it to pierce the gloom, he shined the light into each corner but nothing appeared. No human, no dead animal, no boxes, the room was completely empty. 

“Hang on, I’m going to go up and see if I’m missing anything.” He handed over his bo and carefully squeezed himself up into the attic. The room above had a low crest and he maneuvered about on his hands and knees. 

Below they could hear the ceiling creak as Don made his way around. 

Raph looked at Leo seeing he and Donnie had it under control, “I’m going to check out the graveyard and surrounding woods.” Leo nodded and Raph made his way out. 

Raph nodded to Mikey as he went out the front door and maneuvered around to the graveyard. Mikey nodded back. “So it looks like the guys have it under control but we’ll wait till Leo gives the all clear.” He hung over the side of the car talking with April keeping her mind off the invasion. “Did Vincent like your op piece?”

April looked distracted but responded anyway. “Yea, I got a call afterwards, she really appreciated the good publicity we got her. Plus with BeBop and Rocksteady still out there, possibly even Shredder and the rest of the Foot clan, she made it clear that we need to stay vigilant. Did you see the nod she gave you guys for helping to clean up the city?”

“Yea Donnie recorded it and we watched it. Leo was totally proud over the whole thing. So was Master Splinter, he really thought it was awesome.” Mikey smiled at the thought. “You did great April, thanks for all that.”  
April looked rather pleased and she pointed at the doorway where Leonardo had just stepped through and waved them in. April got out of the car and Mikey escorted her in. She stood quietly in the living room and watched as Donnie wriggled out of the attic, looking as if he had crawled through coal. Leo handed him one of Aprils towel and she believed that it probably wouldn’t come clean after he wiped himself down.  
“Other than it looks like a soot bomb went off in the attic, I found nothing. No foot prints, or hand prints; there were no secret hiding spaces, nothing even showing that someone had been here.” Donnie looked over his shoulder at the dusty blank wall. April’s eyes followed his gaze and found them staring at nothing. 

“No! There was a footprint there, right there.” She pulled away from Mikey and rushed over to point at the wall. “I was going to do the laundry and looked up and there it was, why isn’t it there now?!” April practically wailed in frustration. 

Raphael came in through the front door and shook his head at their inquiring looks. “Nothing out there, I didn’t see any disturbed ground. Honestly it looks pretty forgotten. I saw a few of the headstones were from 1910.”

“Ok April, let me look at the video again.” Donnie pulled his laptop from the duffle bag he had brought in and started playing, fingers flying across the keyboard. “I’m going to run a diagnostic on the system and start tagging the sensors one by one to see if there was a malfunction. I think I also want to put a few extra sensors and cameras in the house if you don’t mind.”

“But it doesn’t make sense that the print is gone. I know it was there, I saw it.” She looked up at Leo, “you believe me don’t you?” 

Leo pulled April into a protective embrace. “To keep you safe we’ll do whatever we need to.” 

“Yea,” Mikey chirped and wrapped his arms around her from the other side making her the center of a turtle burrito. “If we gotta stay here we’ll do that to. Wont we guys?”  
Leo looked over his head at Mikey and then at Raph and Donnie. Raph shrugged his shoulders and Donnie looked up momentarily to give his own shrug. “Yes April, if you want us to we can stay.”

“Or you could come home with us. You know, because you can.” Mikey added. 

April looked up at them and carefully considered her options. Maybe she hadn’t seen a footprint, what if it had just been spider webs or a bug. Her lack of sleep had her so distracted…”No you don’t need to stay. I probably imagined it; otherwise it would still be here. I bet it was just dirt and shadows since I hadn’t turned on the hall light.” She snuggled into their embrace. “Sorry I freaked out over nothing.”

“No April don’t ever feel like you can’t come to us ok, just call and we’ll be there for you.” Raph interjected. “You’re our family and there isn’t anything we won’t do for family.” He patted her gently on the head she swatted his hand away.

“How are things otherwise April, still having cold nights and weird dreams?” Donnie asked from behind his monitor, still engrossed in running scans.

She debated telling them that the dreams had changed. Now instead of crawling and cold she dreamt of light touches and gentle sensual caresses. Sometimes she awoke sweating from exertion and wet, seriously thinking that dreams of her and Casey were getting out of hand. But she still sometimes thought she had trouble breathing during the night. One morning she had awoken dizzy and gasping for breath. “Donnie do we have a CO monitor in the house?”

He looked up in surprise. “What?”

“You know a carbon monoxide monitor since I’m living in a concrete house with very little ventilation and gas appliances, there is a chance there could be carbon monoxide in the air. Right?” She wriggled out of Leo and Mikey’s embrace and crossed over to Donnie. 

Donnie palmed his face leaving a smudge of soot there. “Oh my god, why didn’t I think of that? No there isn’t but I can get you one and get it installed tomorrow while your out. Do you think there might be a problem? I mean you can’t stay if there is a problem.”

She thought about it for a moment, if there were high concentrations of CO then she would have died by now. “No it’s fine but lets get one just in case.”

****

April groaned awake into a coughing fit gasping for breath. Her throat was sore and dry, which was in direct contrast to the drenched nature of her panties. She stumbled out of bed opened the door and toppled into the hallway. Splayed out on the floor her breathing evened out and she shivered against the cool flooring. April lay there panting trying to gather her wits, still waking up from her tangled dreams. 

The CO alarm didn’t go off, she’d look at it in a minute just to be sure it wasn’t malfunctioning. The motion detectors didn’t go off but she had been sure she was being strangled, or at least it had felt that way. How fucked up could she be that she was dreaming of this kind of sex play. She had stopped breathing and orgasmed at the same time. Autoerotic asphyxiation was never on her list of kinky things to try so where had that come from? She pulled her legs up to her chin and sat pondering what the hell was happening to her. 

****

“Hi Donnie.”

“April? Hey, we haven’t heard from you in days. What’s going on, you sound terrible?” Donnie looked up from his monitor, perked up listening to her on the line. “Are you getting a cold?”

“No, maybe, I think it’s the change between the warm house and the cold weather outside.” She supplied, not like she was going to explain that she was have erotic dreams that were making her choke. “Did you ever fix the closet door? I’m finding it open every morning.” 

“Um yea, I’ll come by and check it again if you want.” Donnie hooked his hand around the headset, “do you want me to bring some cold medicine too?”

“Sure that might help.”

****

“Hey Leo, can I talk with you about something strange?” Donnie walked over to his big brother tablet in hand. Leo stopped and waited, wondering why Don had such a concerned look on his face. 

“Sure Donnie what’s up?”

“I’ve been watching April’s video feeds and I’ve noticed some anomalies that are occurring nightly in her bedroom.” Donnie put the tablet in front of Leo’s beak and turned on the video.

Leo cheeks inflamed, he was watching April, writhe on the bed in the throws of orgasm. He put his hand across the screen in complete embarrassment. “Donnie! How could you, these are her private moments!” 

“What? Leo no! OK, well yes, but that’s not what I’m talking about.” Donnie waved Leo’s hand away and pulled the tablet back. “Look, granted she’s having orgasms but did you know she’s having them around three a.m. every morning? Not to mention that she’s gasping for air as she completes each time. The strange thing is her closet door opens each time before she gets worked up.” He paced in front of Leo trying to get out his thoughts. “Aright I know this is creepy and I swear that I didn’t do it for personal enjoyment. I went back over a bunch of the recordings from the last two months and she’s had multiple episodes where the closet door opens, around three a.m., several minutes later she’s gasping for breath and then orgasms. Most of the time she wakes up scrambling away out of the bed but the last several nights she isn’t waking up. I don’t have a life monitor on the camera but you can see her stop breathing and a few moments later she’ll gasp for breath.” Donnie hands Leo the tablet and sets the video running again.

Leo looks over the tablet and tries to settle his thoughts. He tries to avoid thinking about what’s happening focusing more so on the circumstances around it. He notes each moment as Donnie stated, the door, the breathing. Indeed, she was not waking up afterwards in the last several videos. 

“Leo, not only that, but I did some research on the house.” Donnie takes the tablet away. “The last renter died in the closet, a victim of auto erotic asphyxiation. I think she’s being haunted. I think it’s trying to kill her. I think Mikey was right.”

Leo looked appalled, “You think the house is haunted?” Donnie nodded.

“We need to get her out of there now.” 

****

April writhed in bed, another orgasm wrung out of her and she gasped, begging for air. She drew in a deep breath for a moment and coughed trying to draw in more oxygen feeling herself getting light headed. Her eyes flew open and she looked up into the face of a stranger and screamed.

He was a young man, probably in his mid 20’s short black hair and dark blue eyes; his neck was ruptured and his head leaned to the left where the noose had snapped it from the spine. He smiled kindly, kissed her gently and went right back to strangling her. 

****

Raphael burst in the door tumbling onto the floor and coming up in a crouch. Leo raced in behind him with Donnie and Mikey bringing up the rear. Donnie quickly took the lead and rushed into her bedroom, dismayed but not surprised to find her shockingly still. His large fingers fluttered to her throat searching for a pulse, he keened deeply finding none. “Leo call 911 get an ambulance, she’s not breathing!” Donnie pulled her off the bed and began CPR. 

Mikey looked over towards the bedroom closet, the door hanging quietly open. He walked over and studied the unassuming vault. “I know you’re in there you bastard.” He whispered. Not as if he could be heard over Leo’s frantic call and Donnie’s breathless counts. “You couldn’t leave well enough alone could you, you had to go and try and make her your own.” He growled at the empty, not empty space. “She’s going to live and were going to take her out of here and you’re going to rot alone. But you’re not going to hurt anyone again, I can guarantee it.”

“Ambulance is on its way.” Leo looked over at Raph. “Call Vincent and let her know we have a situation.”

“Situation? April dying is not a situation Leo, it’s a fuckin catastrophe!” Raph paced frantically unable to think straight. But he pulled out his cell and hit the speed dial.

“Yea and we could have stopped this if you guys had only listened to me!” Mikey raged at them all. “The freakin dead guy in the closet needs to be put down and we are going to be the ones to do it.” He growled at them and Leo took a step back in surprise. 

“I know Mikey, I know and no amount of apologizing is going to fix this.” Leo put his hands up trying to mollify his little brother. “We’re here now and Donnie is working to save her. The ambulance is on the way to take her to hospital.”

“We need to fix this.” Mikey said looking back at the closet in disgust. 

“How do you want us to fix it Mikey?” Leo asked.

“We burn it to the ground.”

****

A soft light caused her to squint and her eyes to water, she blinked a few times but it didn’t seem to help. She raised her arm to try and rub at her eyes but found it too heavy to move. She coughed slightly and winced in pain, her throat felt as if it had been burned raw. Her eyes adjusted and she looked around. The light above was a small lamp illuminating what was a rather dark hospital room. The blinds had been drawn though the light from the streetlamp outside shone gently through them. A glass of water sat on the table next to her. There were four shadows in the room and she flinched at the idea of being assaulted again.

“April! Angel cakes, you’re awake!” Mikey’s familiar orange and green swam in her vision. 

“Mikey?” April said, or tried to say, she was unable to voice anything other than a small croak.

“Don’t try and talk, the doctor said your larynx was damaged it’s going to be a while before you can talk. Kinda sucks since you’re a reporter but at least your alive!” Mikey started to ramble; April raised her hand for silence. “Oh sorry, what can I help you with, do you need anything?”

April nodded and pointed to the glass of water.

“Oh sure!” Mikey grabbed the glass and let April sip gently from the cool water. She winced as she swallowed, it was going to be hell while she recovered she just knew it.

“Doc says your going to be on liquids for a while,” Donnie came up beside her and placed a hand on hers. “You’re going to have a lot of side effects.” He remarked sadly, “we got to you but you had already stopped breathing and didn’t have a pulse. I did CPR on you to bring you back before the ambulance arrived.”

April’s eyes widened in fear, Mikey grabbed onto her hand, the one without all the tubes attached and held on. He felt her grasp harden and he winced slightly at the pressure. Raph walked up behind Mikey and placed his own hand over hers, he wouldn’t say it but she could see the damp marks on his mask where he had cried.

“You may have traumatic brain injury.” Donnie continued gloomily. “It happens during a strangulation assault because the pressure applied to the neck impedes oxygen transport by preventing blood flow to and from the brain. Your trachea was also restricted which almost made it impossible for you to breathe but the surgery took care of that.” He kneeled and looked into her frightened eyes. “We’re going to do everything we can to help you, we’ll be there every day working with you to help you get better. I swear we are going to help you through your weeks of recovery.”

“The police report says you were attacked by an home invader.” Leo’s voice came from behind Donnie. April peered over his shoulder and saw Leo walking towards her bedside. “Unfortunately the news already picked it up, they’re calling it a crazed stalker. Don’t worry, Vincent has your room watched by police 24/7, and we’re here to watch you as well.” April looked worried.

“April listen.” Raph pulled her attention towards him. “You were attacked by a ghost. Donnie found out that the guy who lived in the rental before you committed accidental suicide. He hung himself in the closet.” He laughed humorously. “Turns out Mikey was right.” 

Donnie touched April to bring her attention back to him. “I found evidence that the ghost had been assaulting you at night. It wasn’t bad dreams; he was working towards finally getting you to the point where you would die by his hands.” April’s eyes misted and tears began to roll down her cheeks she moaned in pain. Mikey gently rubbed her tears away with his fingers. Donnie continued. “He’s gone now, you’re never going to have to face him again; we’ve made sure of it.”

“Along with therapy to get your voice back and to make sure there isn’t any brain damage, Vincent is going to have a psychiatrist work with you to work through the trauma because your an assault victim. Nobody at the station knows about that, it’s your secret.” Leo looked morose, knowing that he had failed his friend and that there was only so much they could do to help.

April nodded, though tears kept coming. Her life was never going to be the same, after covering alien invasions and terrorist activity, to have been brought to this state by a ghost with an agenda seemed so far fetched. But there it was and she couldn’t escape it. 

Donnie gently brushed her hair away from her face. “We’re here now, we’re watching, try to rest. You were just sleeping off the anesthesia; you need some real recovery sleep now.”

April shook her head to the negative. She had been assaulted in her dreams for the last two months. As far as she was concerned, if she had the choice, she’d never sleep again.


End file.
